I've been tying trout flies for about 4 years now, and have always tied Clousers, decivers and the such but wanted a bigger profile fly. I watched a couple videos and got the basic style figured out and it was a easier then I thought. First one came out alright, a little wonky but fishable, second was better. Still need some fine tuning but looks like a good pattern to have in the box.

Im headed out Sunday with my dad for the first time this year. I have still never caught a striper, maybe this weekend will change that.

Peter

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_________________"A good game fish is too valuable to be caught only once" Lee Wulff

Those will catch fish if they are around!! Did you tie your hair on backwards (i.e. the tips of the hair over the front eye of the hook) and then bend them backwards? That's what really develops the 'hollow' effect of the fly. I use an empty ball point pen case pushed over the eye to corral the hair and bend it backwards - and then take a few wraps to hold it in place.

Yes I tied the butt ends facing backwards and used a bodkin to push the tips back, thundercreek style. I suspect I put too many wraps and compressed the bucktail down. I noticed they didnt look really puffed out, but figured they'd work. I'll have to work on making them more hollow.

Looking forward to hooking my first striper!

Peter

_________________"A good game fish is too valuable to be caught only once" Lee Wulff

For hollow fleyes, when you push the bucktail back you build a dam with thread in front of the bucktail but do not wrap back on top of the bucktail. The hair will stay flared out more than you'd think you want. But, when it gets wet- it will slim. An alternative is to run them under hot water to relax the bucktail fibers and then give the tips a slight twist to keep them together while they dry. Hope that helps.

- Hunter

_________________"You never miss the water until the well runs dry" - traditional blues

I did the same think on my first couple attempts but yeah only use the thread dam like said above not sure where your headed but white clousers with pretty much any color variation is what I have had the best luck with so far mostly all white and the grey and white have produced well and the almighty crab pot fly good luck on the first striper they are a blast it might get you addicted to the salt becareful out there

Indeed. They look unruly until a hot teapot of water gets everything pushed back.

After 10 years I still have to do that with my woodduck herons and bronze mallards

_________________"Fishermen...spending their lives in the fields and woods...are often in a more favorable mood for observing her, in the intervals of their pursuits, than philosophers or poets even, who approach her with expectation." - Thoreau

I had a good day yesterday with these things, landed my first ever striped bass and a half dozen others including one 24 incher. The little guys fight well even on an 8wt but the bigger one was awesome, really stong powerful fish for there size. I gotta thank Tom W for the boat ride and putting me on some busting fish.

Was out wading the beach this morning and got another little guy probably only 10 inches or so. I think I'll be spending my summer fishing for these guys instead of green bass, way more fun.

Peter

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_________________"A good game fish is too valuable to be caught only once" Lee Wulff

It was a fun Morning together Peter. Glad to have been a part of your first striper hook-ups. Good to hear that you got one from the beach yesterday. I went back out for a quick trip on Sunday morning early. Played tug of war with a seal for a while when he grabbed my striper about 10 feet from the boat. Ten pound tippet lasted about 30 seconds.

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